Krinsky



Feb. 7, 1956 B. KRINSKY ROCKET TOY Filed Nov. 6, 1952' S W m T N 4 O m m 1, w N 0 A w M 1% Ju 10 m G 4 1 W e n B Y 1 x B 6 2 3 3 Lu L 4 5 44 a l 4 A: 5 2 i n? u 3 O A.

United States Patent O M 'ROCKET'TOY Benjamin Krinsky, Waterbury, Conn. a plication-November 6, 1952, Serial 'No.319,0 1'0 11 Claims. .(Cl. 124-13) This invention relates to rocket toys, and .more partictilarly to rocket toys adapted to be operated "by compressed An object of the 'inventiontis to ,provide a novel rocket toy comprising a "rocket and "a launching device, in which the rocket simulates the flight ofpresent day .rocket projectilesto a very realistic degree.

Another object of the invention is to provide an v.improved 'an'dnovel rocket toy which is operatedby compressed air, wherein the compressed air may be easily produced manually.

"Still another object of the invention is :to provide .an improved 'ro'c'ket toy as above set forth, which .has .relativelyfew parts, is simple and "foolproof in construction and economical to fabricate.

still further object of the invention .is to provide an improved rocket toy in accordance with the foregoing, which "is'simple for a youngster to operate, and which will not easily get ,out of order.

Yet another object of the invention is .to ;provide .an improved novel rocket .toy which is entirely safe for youngsters to operate.

A "feature of the invention resides in the provision of a rocket toy in which a realistic whistle or.noise;is producedby the rocket during apart of :its.-flight.

(Still another object of the invention is the provision ofia'n improved rocket toyLin which the direction-.of.fiight of'the rocket maybe roughly predetermined and varied byadjustment of the apparatus prior .tothe flight. 7

Other features and advantages will hereinafter :appear.

"In "the accompanying .drawings:

Figure 1 is avertical .sectional view :of -.an improved rocket toy .made in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the vlaunching device of :the rocket 'toy.

'Fig. 3 is a "fragmentary horizontal section taken -on line 3-3 of'Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side .elevational .view, ou -.a reduced scale, of a .rocket toy made .in accordance with the invention,

illustrating a modification by which the direction offlight of the rocket may be roughly-predetermined.

Fig. 5 isa side elevational view, 0n a.redueed scale,

of a launching device made .in accordance with the invention, -Provided with .an air :fitting by which -'a bicycle or similar'airpumptmay.be attached to supply compressed air.

Referring to '.Fig. .1 the improved rocket toy-of this invention comprises ajlaunching device indicated. generally by the character 10, and a rocket carried bythelaunching device, indicated generally-by the character ,11. The rocket 11 comprises an elongate'hollow body .12, which may be advantageously molded of plastic, including a bullet-shaped 'front portion 13 having a pointednose 14, and including 'a tail portion '15 which may ;be ttelescoped with'the'front portion 13 and cemented thereto.

"The tail portion 15 has integral radial ffins 16 :and an outwardly flared annular rear extremity 17 adapted to 2 function as a mounting "and detent means for't'he rocket, as will be hereinafter' brought out in detail.

The launching device 10 comprises an air pressure chamber "18 of generally cylindrical shape, havinga circular'b'ottom wall or 'base 19, cylindrical side walls 20 and a circular top wall 21.

Within the chamber 18 means-are provided for introducing compressed air into the chamber, comprising a manually operable pump 22 having "a "pump .cylinder 23 and a plunger or piston 24 carried on the shaft 25 :projec'ting upward from the chamber 18 and having at its upper. end a handle 26. Intheflower end of the cylinder "23 a check valve'27 is'provided, controlling anopening 28 by which the cylinder .23 communicates with the interior of thechamberlS, to enable airto be "forced into the chamber'under pressurewhenthe pump 22 is operated.

The top wall 21 0f 'the chamber 18 has a large central open'ing29 to the edges of which a cup-shapedmember 30 is :secured, said member "being disposed within the chamber 18 below the top 21 thereof and constituting a partition by which "a second air pressure chamber '31Iis provided.

'The cup-shaped member .30 has a central opening or orifice'32 in its bottom, controlled by a valve 33 mounted on'a shaft34 slidable in a 'hollow'boss 35 secured to the upper face of the base 19 at the center thereof. The valve33is normally'held upward against .the opening 32 by means of a helical compression spring 36-dispos'ed .in the boss 35 and engaging the .lowerend of the shaft 34.

Actuation of the valve 33 is accomplished by.a,1ever.37 pivoted on the inside of .the cylindrical wall 20 of the chamber, said lever being .in turn actuated byalink .38 passing upward through the top 21 of the chamber 18 and having at its upper extremity :a knob 39. An-air seal is provided .between the vlink .38 and the top 21 in the cliamberbymeans of arubber diaphragm, as may be well .understood. .When the knob 39 is depressed it will swing the .lever .37 downward, shifting the -valve33 away item the opening 32 whereby compressed air in the-chamber .18 will .be released into the chamber .31. When pressure .is removed from the knob 39 the'valve 33 will be automatically raised by :the spring 36, closing the ..opening .32.

For the purpose of mounting the rocket 11 on the launching .device 10 a lplurality ofarcuate spring fingers 41 .is provided, said fingers being {adapted to'engage the exteriorsides of the rocket body 13 as illustrated in .Fig.

'1. Also, .a resilient washer 42 is secured to the lip of the vpup-shaped:member 30 and adapted to receive the flared-end :17 of the-rocket 11 and to detain the rocket and hold-it in the'rlaunchingposition shown in Fig. l. The washer 42 maybe advantageously formed of rubber or'rubber-like composition, .and engages and seats against the flared end 17 of the irocket'to prevent escape of air past said end out into the atmosphere.

Preferably .an annular plunger is provided within :the member.30,'comprisinga circular washer 43 and ahelical compression spring -44, the washer 43 having a downturned \bearing flange 45 engaging the inside of the member 30. The spring '44 normally maintains the washer 43 in engagement with the end ofthe flared tail portion 17 of the .rocket :11, and urges the rocket upward,.maintaining .the.resilient washer 42 :in aslightly deformed shape wherein a continuous pressure is maintained between the washer .and the flared end of the rocket.

.It willbennderstood that the rocket 11 may bereadily mounted on the launching device 10 by merely pressing it .Idownward between the springs 41 and forcing-the .tail 1 7 .of ..the rocket .through .the resilient washer 42 and into engagement with the annular plunger or washer compress the spring 44 a slight extent, as shown in Fig. 1.

When the parts are in the positions shown in this figure the rocket is ready to be operated. The pump 22 is manipulated to force compressed air into the pressure chamber 18. When a suflicient air pressure has been built up in the chamber 18 the knob 39 is depressed, opening the valve 33 and allowing the compressed air to escape into the chamber 31 through the orifice 32. This compressed air will impinge on the tail of the rocket 11, and the build-up of pressure within the chamber 31 together with the force exerted by the jet of air passing through the orifice 32 will cause the rocket to overcome the restricting force of the resilient washer 42 and be forciblypropelled upward and leave the launching device 19. The rocket thus acquires momentum, and because of its lightweight and because of the air pressure built up behind its tail, will fiy upward through the air. The compressed air escaping from the launching device 10 will make a hissing sound, thereby simulating the flight of combustion rockets now in military use.

To further aid the flight of the rocket 11 and to provide an additional hissing or whistling noise I provide an apertured wall and check valve means in the tail portion 15 of the rocket. At the inner end of the flared portion 17 a transverse wall 46 is provided having a plurality of openings 47 communicating with the interior of the rocket body, said openings being normally closed by a resilient washer 48 functioning as a check valve, said washer being secured to the wall by a hollow rivet 49 which provides an orifice or jet in the center of the wall 46. I also provide a whistle device 50 in the throat of the flared tail portion 17 of the rocket.

At the time that the compressed air is released from the chamber 18 into the chamber 31, a portion of this air will pass through the whistle device 50 and through the openings 47 and the hollow rivet 49, into the interior of the rocket body. The resilient washer 48 will yield to uncover the openings 47 during this procedure, and a build-up of air pressure within the rocket body 13 will be experienced. When the rocket 11 is launched, the air under pressure in the rocket body will be forced out through the bore of the hollow rivet 49, said bore functioning as a jet, and the air will pass through the whistling device 50 causing a whistling or hissing sound and further aiding in the flight of the rocket. During such action the resilientwasher 48 will, of course, completely cover the openings 47, functioning as a check valve in this respect.

Referring to Fig. 4 the launching device 10 comprising the chamber 18 may be mounted on a stationary base 51 having a pivoted rack 52 engaging a flange 53 on the chamber to position the latter at different angles with respect to the horizontal. Thus the direction of flight of the rocket 11 may be roughly predetermined, and it may be launched at various angles with respect to the vertical. In place of the spring fingers 41 a semicircular cradle 54 may be provided, to support the rocket in its launching position and guide it at the beginning of its flight. 7

In Fig. there is shown a launching device in which the pump 22 has been omitted and replaced by an air fitting 55 to enable a bicycle pump or the like to be used to supply compressed air to the chamber 18. The fitting 55 may for example be a tire valve stem and core, such as is used on bicycle or automobile tires and the like.

It will be understood that by the'above construction I have provided an extremely simple and economical-tofabricate rocket toy which may be very easily and safely operated by a youngster, and which will provide a flight which closely simulates and resembles the actual flight of large scale rockets now in use. By virtue of the use of compressed air as the power medium and the absence of combustible power means, the operation of the toy is extremely safe and foolproof. Moreover, the speed with which the rocket 11 is propelled is not sufficiently great to cause injury it" it should strike a person.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. In a rocket toy, a launching device comprising an air-pressure chamber having an orifice; a toy rocket comprising an elongate body; means removably mounting said rocket body on the exterior of the launching device with a substantial portion projecting therefrom, said body having an end portion communicating with the pressure chamber in a position for compressed air from the orifice to impinge on the body; manually operable means for introducing compressed air into said pressure chamber; and manually operable valve means for closing and opensaid orifice at will whereby compressed air from the chamber may be discharged against the said rocket body to cause flight thereof through the air. 7

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which there is a second chamber communicating with said orifice, and in which said end portion of the rocket body extends into and is yieldably held in said second chamber.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which there are yieldable detent means holding said end of the rocket body to the chamber, said means being overcome by the force transmitted to said body by the discharged compressed air.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which said end portion comprises the tail portion of said rocket and there are yieldable detent means holding the tail portion of the rocket body to the chamber, said means comprising a resilient washer secured to the chamber and said tail portion of the rocket body extending through and engaging said washer, said means being overcome by the force transmitted to said body by the discharged compressed air.

5. The invention as defined in claim 2 in which there are yieldable detent means holding the rocket body to the second chamber, said means being overcome by the force transmitted to said body by the discharged com pressed air.

6. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the means for introducing compressed air comprises a pump contained in the chamber having a manually operable handle extending upward through the top wall of the chamber.

7. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the manually-operable valve means includes a handle extending upward through the top wall of the chamber.

8. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which there is a base, and means for mounting the chamber on the base in different adjusted angular positions whereby the rocket may be directed for flight in directions making various angles with the vertical.

9. The invention as defined in claim 4 in which the tail portion of the rocket is annular and extends through the resilient washer, and in which there is a hollow, spring-urged plunger carried by the second chamber and engaging the tail portion of the rocket, said plunger tending to move said portion out of the resilient washer against the action of the washer.

10. A launching device for a toy rocket, comprising an air-pressure chamber having an orifice; means including spring fingers carried by the launching device and projecting outwardly therefrom for mounting a rocket exteriorly of the pressure chamber with an end portion extending into the chamber in a position for compressed air from the orifice to impinge on the end of the rocket; manually operable means for introducing compressed air in said pressure chamber; and manually operable valve means for closing and opening said orifice at will whereby compressed air from the chamber may be discharged from the orifice against the rocket to cause thelatter to be forcibly ejected from the chamber.

11. A launching device for a toy rocket, comprising a an air-pressure chamber having an orifice; a second air chamber mounted on the first chamber and communicating with said orifice, said second chamber having an outer wall with an opening therein; means including spring fingers carried by the launching device and projecting outwardly therefrom for mounting a rocket exteriorly of the device on said outer wall of the second chamber to project therefrom with an end portion disposed over the opening thereof whereby compressed air in said chamber Will propel the rocket away; manually operable means for introducing compressed air in said first chamber; and manually operable valve means for closing and opening said orifice of the first chamber whereby the compressed air therein may be discharged into the second chamber to cause the rocket to be propelled from the latter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Dec. 22, 1948 

